Nikomat El / Nikkormat El, Should I buy a vintage camera (in 2022)?

[@neilbone9490]

How I feel Rich about going back to using a film SLR is it’s like learning to be a sniper as opposed to just hosing the target with shots which you can do with a digital camera. Just got a Nikomat EL at the weekend from Japan in absolutely minty con.

[@RichHowland]

Oh nice! No I totally agree with you, its so invigorating trying to get it right first time and not knowing after. I'm enjoying learning about different film too and how they work. A lot of fun.

[@hotrodsgarage]

Film is good for the soul. It slows you down and gets you involved in the process of photography. Each shot counts so you must think about aperture, shutter and composition. Enjoy the journey.

[@RichHowland]

Totally. I’m so happy to get back into it. It brings back memories of being 15 with my film slr. I do love the process and the surprise of seeing the shots way after shooting them. Love that comment, it really is good for the soul, so therapeutic.

[@invujerry]

I've got a bunch of vintage Nikon lenses I adapt, but was eyeing up a Nikon EL today. I've never used a film DSLR, probably going to go grab one this week. Thanks for this!

[@garnieross9958]

I collect vintage cameras, lenses, and accessories. Over 100 bodies, Even more lenses. I have at least two bodies of each camera Nikomat/Nikkormat ever made. Only one ELW which are rare. Solid, beautiful cameras. Attach a Nikon lens and create beautiful images. Some of my favorite cameras to shoot. Vast majority of my lenses are vintage manual focus. Much nicer than modern lenses. Have a D 750 and a D 610 and a couple of other digital bodies that usually have manual focus lenses mounted and ready. Completely different worlds. Film is so much more cerebral. Thought is required. No spraying as we do with digital. Beautiful cameras.

[@TheMrBennito]

I don't have much to add. I bought 2 of those in 1974 as a student, from hard-earned money. They were fantastic. I still have them...

[@RichHowland]

Wow! Thats amazing. I love that everyone who bought one of these back then seems to still have working camera. Amazing.

[@TheMrBennito]

@@RichHowland a. I meticulously took care of my gear, b. this is seriously solid stuff.

[@michaelappleyard6300]

Hi Rich, I bought a mint Black Nikkormat EL secondhand in about 1980. I still have it today, it's still mint (as I always use it in its ever ready case) and is fully working. The meter calibration is still bang on. Although Nikkormats are regarded by some as being less robust than the famous professional Nikon F, it is worth noting that the EL body is actually heavier than the Nikon F (with a plain prism fitted) at 786g versus 696g and it is just as well made. I have a Nikkormat FT2 and and FT3 (which are also a little heavier than the F) and they are still 100% goo too. I would always recommend a Nikkormat as a first film camera. Being SLR's, they more useable than a rangefinder camera in my opinion, especially with multiple lenses. It's worth paying a bit more for a really good example as it should last for a great many years. By the way, when you loaded the film and were winding it on, I noticed that you fired the shutter with it set to "A" and the lens cap still on. This may cause the electronically timed shutter to stay open for quite a while (because the meter is seeing no light) and drain the battery unnecessarily. So it is best to set the shutter to an actual speed if you are going to leave the lens cap on. Nice video.

[@jeremyrichards8327]

Had two of them.Solid, reliable and easy to use.Moved on to an F3

[@RichHowland]

How do you like the F3?

[@nicokulas7287]

Great vid, could you share your settings used for some of those shots? Keep up the great work!

[@RichHowland]

Hey thanks! You’d have to be specific, I must have used unique settings for each shot. Was a while ago too! What would you like to know exactly?

[@chai.bula1]

That was exactly what I had way back around '74. It had the advantage of being precise with the exposure over previous mechanical ones. If you could find a 24mm. Nikor, you'd appreciate it more. Btw, as any film camera, once you've loaded the film and crank a couple of times, close the lid then wind up tbe rewinder until tight. This way, tbe film would be flattest and ready for your shots.

[@tophertours]

Indeed that's a classic camera, Rich. You're a keeper

[@RichHowland]

Haha thanks dude! Its so much fun.

[@whoswhonow1]

Can you show how to insert the battery?

[@Nate121920]

Just received this camera from my grandfather, he use to be a photographer back when he was my age and I'm super excited to use it and learn

[@RichHowland]

Awe that’s lovely. I bet he’d love to see what can do with it. Amazing to think that camera has been capturing images for so long ha?

[@larrycox3378]

Hey a Nikkormat E L was my first Nikon bought it new in 1976, and it's far from mint now my every day camera for over 25 years. Still works, meter is still dead on this camera roc's This may prompt me get it out and shoot a roll of film or two

[@RichHowland]

Oh good! Did you take it out for a spin?

[@TheMrBennito]

Oh yeah, about the costs. What I did, as a student, was to buy film on a roll. Cheaper .I had a box with loads of used, empty film cassettes; those had to be handled with care in order to keep them re-usable. Then cut the roll in the darkroom and the exact length and refill the cassettes one by one. Just to give you an idea what we, poor suckers, had to go through 😆

[@RichHowland]

Oh my gosh!! Thats dedication...

[@TheMrBennito]

@@RichHowland I am sure I wasn't the only one, Rich.... and people might still do it? all this fiddling with film & chemicals basically is FUN. I miss it 😉

[@PPISAFETY]

I did the bulk film thing as well, and developed my own film. Back when everyone shot film, you had your choice of many different film stocks, and film was cheap. If you bought your film in 100 foot rolls and loaded into reusable cassettes yourself you could save even more money. I used a Watson "Daylight" Loader that allowed you to load the cassettes in room light after you closed, it, and which had a frame counter on it that clicked each time you turned the hand crank to let you know how many frames you loaded. I still remember that you got eighteen 36 exposure rolls of film from each 100 foot bulk roll. They still sell bulk film like that today, the cassettes, and the daylight loaders. But now, money-wise, they only make sense if you develop your own film, because if you send film in to be done now, you don't get the cassettes back. This eats up any savings you got from loading your own. I also remember buying surplus color movie film stock in 35mm for bulk loading that you could buy really cheaply. It was all a lot of fun. Developing our own film at home and making our own prints, usually in a bathroom turned into a darkroom for the occasion is what we nerds did before there was the internet!

[@TheMrBennito]

@@PPISAFETY yes, Tom. Absolutely right there, and so that s what I did as well. Developed my own film, yet in the darkroom .... with those Paterson film tanks. I think maximum 3 or 4 in the larger tank.

[@HonGoArtist]

were you using the internal metering?

[@neilpiper9889]

My friend has a Nikkormat EL bought new, then he went on to buy a Nikon FM2 new and still has them now in 2021. I have a Nikkormat ft2 bought a year ago from a friend with a 50mm f2 lens. Takes a lr44 battery.

[@xx02]

I also have a Nikomat camera, the photos that come out of it are very clean. Nice shots man!

[@RichHowland]

Hey Danny! Yeah I was so surprised by it. Given me a whole new appreciation for film.

[@sevenantony7376]

Wonderful discovery and quest for TTL excellence

[@RichHowland]

Glad you think so! Happy new year!

[@johnmeyers3551]

Where is that shop that developed your film and put it in a dropbox?

[@RichHowland]

It’s a store called LERT’s, not far from MBK center :)

[@RobertFalconer1967]

Nikomat was the Japanese domestic name. They were labeled Nikkormat everywhere else in the world. Both names, as you pointed out, were used to denote their less expensive (though equally well made) line of cameras for advanced hobbyists. By 1977 they dropped the Nikkormat name and the EL (and Nikkormat EL-W, which took a winder) actually became known as the Nikon EL2, even though they were nearly the exact same camera, save for swapping a CdS light metering cell for the newer silicon photocell of the period). All other "prosumer" cameras were labeled Nikons from that point forward as well; FM series, FE series, etc. fyi > It is an aperture-priority (and manual) camera with an electronically-controlled shutter and center-weighted metering. The mechanics will last a lifetime (with proper care and an occasional CLA), but it does have 45-year-old electronics, so you'll want to keep an eye on the metering and AE control system.

[@randallstewart1224]

The larger difference between the Nikomat EL/Nikkkormat EL and the successor Nikon EL2 was the lens mount/metering change from pre-AI to use of the AI metering coupler in the later model. The earlier model will couple the later AI lenses only if they have the "rabbit ears" meter prong. The later model has a meter coupling AI tab which flips away to physically allow mounting of pre-AI lenses, but those lenses will not meter couple. (They can be metered in a shut-down mode, but that's a hassle.)

[@josephramirez8184]

Genial, estoy ansioso de probar la que he comprado.

[@tomkyle]

looks like you're hooked, man. I wish you much fun and a pleasant journey with that film stuff. I'm sure it'll not be the last one ... 🤗

[@RichHowland]

Oh 100%. I just enjoying making a new video this week about what I’ve learned. Just did my first B&W today too and loved it. Definitely hooked :) are you a long time film shooter?

[@tomkyle]

​@@RichHowland Not very long; started with Nikon DSLR in March 2016 - and already in July bought a Nikon FE (I liked the idea having a cam that's as old as me). 1968 Nikkomat FTn to follow only months later (and no, that was not the last one) … Today, the DSLR serves almost only as a digitizing workhorse. So be warned about photographing habits :-)

[@reindeerdashie]

Lovely cameras! I have two near-mint Nikomat EL's, one silver and one black, ready to go with film in them, and a set of pre-AI lenses, the S.C 24mm f/2.8, the O 35mm f/2, the S 50mm f/1.4 and the P.C 105mm f/2.5. I do consider myself to be a woman of culture 😂❤

[@datfly3034]

What happens to your negatives once the film lab sends you the scans? Do they send them back to you??

[@RichHowland]

They tend to give you the option. Most allow you to pick up the negatives for free after development or pay a couple of dollars to have them sent back to you.

[@wawazonzon24]

Digital = reality Film = memory

[@robertbinstead7662]

does he know that because it was called NIKOMAT that is what the makers sold it in germany

[@RichHowland]

Actually, the Nikomat name was how it was marketed in Japan too, while Nikkormat was used predominantly in the US. So yes. He does :)

[@mamiyapress]

O.K., if you do not know what you are doing I am going to stop the video there 1:16 thanks.

[@Limud613]

Photos looks super edited 😂😂

[@RichHowland]

They are just uploaded as raw scans sooo...

[@robertbinstead7662]

he sounds like hes the only person to use film cameras, plonker

[@RichHowland]

‘He’ is just new to them, and helping others that are too. Thanks though :)

[@uqmiyankou6531]

You lost 3 shots 🤓👻

[@RichHowland]

??